Convertible couch



Sept. 19, 1939., J. D. BELL 2,173,641

CONVERTIBLE COUC H Filed Oct. '1, 1956 INVENTOR,

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to the sofa or studio couch type of furniture.Among the first objects of the invention is to supply an inexpensive,comfortable, durable, artistic, simple operating,

space saving, convertible piece of furniture.

This invention differs from my pending application Serial Number 75,l19,filed April 18, 1936. The difference is of much value in that the spacerequired for it in the home is greatly reduced and the cost tomanufacture is also reduced. And that, by use of the L shape links, themechanism can be wholly concealed without the use of ends.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective end viewwith the back member in its normal position, the section which forms thecenter section of the bed resting in a horizontal position on the floorand the wheeled couch ready to be pushed over the latter section up toand against the vertical back member to form a seat with the back memberforming a back support therefor. It will be noted that in the process ofrolling this couch to the latter. described position, the wheels of saidcouch must pass over a block which is fastened to the angle track-way.This block acts to hold the couch in place against the back member. Oncethe couch is in the last described position it may be very easily movedoutward again by pulling outward on the topmost part of the back member.The action of this movement is that the back member swings upward andforward on the L shape links, which links are caused to swing over inunison by means of a bar member which connects the two links togetherthus forming a yoke member. The stretching springs indicated as beingattached to the said links and to the back board member greatly lightensthe effort required to move the back member'regardless of the directionbeing forward or rearward.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 after the center section I9 has been whollyremoved. It will be noted that the removal of the latter does notinterfere in the operation of either the back member or the couchmember. It will further be noted that L shape links and theirinterconnecting member form a cradle in which the back rest member ispositioned.

Fig. 3 is a modified form. In this form, instead of the links 3 beingbent in L shape to permit of them being attached to the back member, 2Aintermediate the end of said member, they are adapted to be attached tothe outer end of said back member. The comparison of operation beingthat in the case where the L shape links are used the action is that aforward pull on the top of back member 2 will cause the lower portion ofsaid back to contact the inside of L shape link at I DA and then swingupward and over pivot 4 in practically a vertical position. Whereas inthe case of modified form of Fig. 3 the forward pull on the top of backmember 2A causes stop pin IIlB to contact link 30 and thus accomplishthe same purpose. In the instance of Fig. 3 end members 36 are indicatedattached to angle irons IA by detachable means 31, in instances whereends are used if preferred stop pins such as 38 may be used in the placeof cable 9.

Fig. 4 shows the device of Figure 1 in bedforming position.

I indicates two floor engaging supports comprising two angle ironsarranged in spaced and parallel relation. 2 indicates a couch backmember adapted to be converted into a seat. 3 indicates a pair of Lshape registering links, spaced apart and lower ends welded toconnecting bar 3A which is pivoted at 4, in the opposite angle irons Iand their upper ends being pivoted to the back of back member 2 inwardfrom the end thereof at 5. If preferred, links 3 may be pivotallyconnected directly to angle irons I and bar 3A connected to the twolinks 3 at another location. 6 indicates a rigid back board memberserving to check the rearward travel of back member 2, and to tie thetwoangle irons I, together, said back board being connected to angleirons I by means of vertical standard I which in turn is riveted at 8 toangle irons I. A floor shoe or a supporting base is perhaps a propername for the element comprising angle iron I and backboard 6. 9indicates a checking cable for limiting the forward swing of links 3.One end of said cable being fastened at II to back board 6, the otherend connected at I2 to back member 2, I0 indicates a stop to limit theforward move-'- ment of links 3. IDA indicates a point on back member 2adapted to contact the inside of L link 3 to limit the rearward swing ofthe lower portion of member 2 on the latters pivotal connections withsaid links. I3 indicates a pair of blocks mounted upon angle iron I tooffer yielding outward resistance to the movement of wheels as they tendto move away from back member 2 and to keep the support I from tiltingover back wards when pressure is forcibly exerted against the top ofsaid back member.

To extend a member from one angle iron to the other in the place ofblocks I3 is optional, because of it being optional as to whether thelegs of said angle iron may be placed outwardly instead of inwardly asshown. I4 indicates two supporting legs for the front end of the backmember 2 adapted to support said member when it is in a position for useas a seat. The legs I4 being interconnected by a continuous bar thusforming a yoke swingably connected to back member 2 by clips l6. 17indicates stretching springs, the upper ends of which are connected tothe back board 6, the lower ends connected to L shape link 3 by clip I8.The purpose of this spring is to reduce the physical efiort required toswing back member 2 from either of its positions. l9 indicates amattress supporting center section which is adapted to be added ifdesired to back member 2 by means of attaching the hinge 20 to backmember 2 by screws 2|. 22 is a couch frame in the nature of an open sidereceptacle comprising two end members 23, a front member 24 and a topsurface member 25. Mounted on the inside of the two end members 23 arewheels 26 supported by axles 2?. On the top of surface member is placeda mattress 28. 29 indicates casters mounted underneath the front edge ofcenter section it for the purpose of holding it off the floor and to aidin the case of movement. 38 indicates a bar bent into a U shape memberhaving its lower free ends swingably connected to the lower portion ofcouch and members 22 at 31 and having attached to it a chain 32 forlimiting the rearward swing of its top. 33 indicates a catch centrallylocated on the front edge of frame It adapted to be hooked over the topof U shape member 39 for holding the couch 22 abutted to center sectionl9 when back member 2 is in a horizontal position. 34 indicatesdetachable mattress on back section 2, and 35 indicates a detachablemattress on center section 59. When in a position as a sofa, section i9is housed in a horizontal position under and within the limits of thewalls of couch 22.

The preferred way to operate the device as designated in Fig. 1 is tofirst stand at one end of the couch. Then with your right hand grasp thetop back 2 and with a forward jerk swing member 2 bodily forward. In sodoing the forward motion of the membeiiforces. forward the wheeled couch22 from over the center section member [9 with such momentum that thewheeled couch usually rolls forward away from the back member 2 and thecenter section l9 far enough to permit the latter two members to beextended in horizontal alignment with each other. The action of formingthem into alignment operates in the following way. As the back is swungforward the L shape links 3 swung upward and forward on the lower pivots4 until the cable 9 stops the forward motion. The stopping of theforward motion by cable 9 supplies a jerking action which compels theportion of the back member 2, which is above its pivotal connection withthe L link, to flop rearward and downward until upper portion of saidmember comes to rest on the backboard 6. While this action is takingplace legs 04, which are attached to the lower portion of back member 2,automatically assume a'vertical position to support what is now thefront edge of back member 2. You now find the back member 2 in ahorizontal position with center section IS in horizontal alignment withit. The inner edge of the center section l9 being supported by legs l4and by the back member 2, but with no outer support for the outwardextending edge thereof. To supply this support for the outer edge youroll couch22 back against the center section I9 so that yoke 32 comes under and engages clip 33 to become a support for the outer edge of thecenter section l9.

The bed is now complete and the various parts thereof are arranged inthe manner indicated in Figure 4. It will be noted from Figure 1 thatthe major portion of the weight of the couch is arranged at the rear ofthe floor-engaging supports when the back is vertical. In order toprevent the couch from overturning, particularly when the back isrelatively high, the back is first moved forwardly so as to shift theweight thereof into a central position relative to the supports l beforethe back 2 is swung into a horizontal position. This principle may beused in roll-about beds without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having described my invention and reserving the right to make any claimscoming within what I have revealed herein, I make the following claims:

1. In a convertible couch, a substantially upright back rest, meanssupporting the back rest for swinging movement about a horizontal axis,a seat hinged to the bottom edge of the back rest, a roll-about couchpositioned against the front face of the back rest below said axis toprevent the upper part of the back rest from tipping rearwardly and toconceal said seat, means for moving the back rest and the seat intohorizontal alignment with respect to each other when the roll-aboutcouch is rolled away from the back rest and the roll-about couch beingadapted to form a continuation of the aligned back rest and seat.

2. In a convertible couch, a back rest, a seat having one side thereofhinged to the back rest, means for moving the back rest and the seatinto horizontal alignment with respectv to each other, a roll-aboutcouch normally concealing the seat and being adapted to be rolled into aposition to form a continuation of the aligned back rest and seat, aU-shaped member swingably secured to the roll-about couch on one sidethereof, and a catch on the seat to engage with the U-shaped member forholding the roll-about couch and the seat together when arrangedadjacent to each other.

3. In a convertible couch, a back rest, a seat having one side thereofhinged to the back rest, means for moving the back rest and the seatinto horizontal alignment with respect to each other, a roll-about couchnormally concealing the seat and being adapted to be rolled into aposition to form a continuation for the aligned back rest and the seat,and means for connecting the couch with the free side of the seat tosupport the latter.

4. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having alignedpivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots,a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upperends of the links, and being movable across the vertical plane of saidpivots when the links are moved, the links being arranged to engage witha portion of the back rest for holding the latter in substantiallyupright position while crossing said plane when forward movement isimparted to the top of the back rest, and a member secured at one end toa fixed anchorage and having its other end fastened to the back restabove the tops of the links and made for swinging the back rest into ahorizontal position after the back rest hascrossed said vertical plane.

5. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having alignedpivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots,a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upperends of the links and being movable across the vertical plane of saidpivots when the links are moved, the links being arranged to engage withthe back rest for holding the latter in substantially upright positionwhile crossing said plane when forward movement is imparted to the topof the back rest, and means for swinging the back rest into a horizontalposition after the latter has crossed said plane and means engageablewith the links when the back rest is horizontally disposed for limitingthe forward movement of the links, whereby the links are made to serveas supports for the horizontal back rest.

6. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having alignedpivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots,a substantially upright back rest swingably suspended between the upperends of the links and being movable across the vertical plane of saidpivots in response to forward pressure exerted on the top of the backrest, the back rest in normal upright position being disposed entirelyto the rear of said vertical plane of the pivots, the intermediateportions of the links being arranged to engage with the back rest forholding the latter in substantially upright position while crossing saidplane in response to said forward pressure, and means for swinging theback rest into a horizontal position after the latter has crossed saidplane.

'7. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members havingaligned pivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on thepivots, a substantially upright back rest swingably secured to the upperends of the links with the latter spaced inwardly from the ends of theback rest, the back rest being movable across the vertical plane of saidpivots in response to forward movement exerted on the top of the backrest, the back rest in normal upright position being disposed entirelyto the rear of said vertical plane of the pivots, the intermediateportions of the links being arranged to engage with the bottom of theback rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position whilecrossing said plane in'response to said forward pressure, and means forswinging the back rest into horizontal position after it has crossedsaid vertical plane.

8. In a convertible couch, a pair of spaced frame members having alignedpivots, a pair of links having their lower ends supported on the pivots,a substantially upright back rest, a horizontally disposed seat hingedto the lower end of the back rest, said back rest being swingablysuspended from the upper ends of the links and being swingably movableacross the vertical plane of said pivots in response to forward pressureexerted on the top of the back rest, the back rest in normal uprightposition being disposed entirely to the rear of said vertical plane ofthe pivots, the links being arranged to engage with a portion of theback rest for holding the latter in substantially upright position whilecrossing said plane in response to said forward pressure, said back restbeing operable to push the seat forward when its top is tiltedrearwardly and to recline into horizontal alignment with the seat.

JOSEPH D. BELL.

